Coffee Blog

Founded in 1974, Kiamaina receives cherries from about 385 farmers in Karatina, Nyeri County. It is one of four factories managed by Kiama Cooperative Farmer's Society (FCS), which represents over 3000 farmers in Nyeri. Kiama FCS was proud to appoint its first female factory manager, Purity Wanjiku Muriuki, to Kiamaina Factory. Ripe cherries are first handpicked and delivered to the factory the same day. Kiamaina Factory employs a cherry clerk, who ensures that only ripe, undamaged cherry is taken in, before undergoing meticulous sorting. The cherries are depulped on the factory's 4-disc pulper and then sorted by density. The cherries...

The Tabe Burka washing station is located in the Uraga woreda, part of the Guji zone. It was founded by Tadesse Edema in 2008, being the first washing station in the region. A native of Guji, Tadesse is more than just a coffee producer, but also a community leader, building schools and roads in the region, setting up much-needed infrastructure. In addition to washing stations, he owns two farms - one in Shakiso and another in Anasora. During the ten years when the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) restricted direct exports, Tadesse delivered his lots to the regional warehouse where traceability...

Aquiares Estate is one of Costa Rica's largest and most historic coffee farms, sitting on the fertile slopes of Turrialba Volcano. Its history dates back to 1890, where a British family planted the first coffee trees, seeing the enormous potential in the location. Over time, they grew the community to over 1800 people, becoming one of the first farms to export Costa Rican coffee. In 1971, the farm was acquired by its current owners, three closely-knit families who have since taken the estate to greater heights. Don Alfonso Robelo is the patriarch of one of the families, who took over...

To keep up with global demand, coffee in India is primarily produced via conventional agricultural methods. Over time, this results in depleted yields and compromised quality that negatively impacts the longevity of the land and the farmer’s livelihood. This is different for Alilu Estate, a family-run farm with three generations of experience. The estate consistently employs local villagers as well as neighbours from the surrounding forest, to maintain and harvest coffee and other crops year-round. Blessed with perennial springs that supply the farm with fresh water, the farm grows not just coffee but also other crops such as figs, pepper,...

With mountainous terrain and temperate climates, Finca Zacatin has the perfect climate for producing exceptional quality coffee. Located in the Antioquia, Colombia, it receives two harvests each year, with 60% between November and February, and the remaining 40% from April to June. Eduardo Fernandez is the third generation of the Fernandez family, which traditionally produced commercial coffee. Just over four years ago, he learnt of the different attributes between the various Arabica varietals and started a side project. He began cultivating a selection of unusual beans from around the world, to taste the difference between them. Today, this project has...